Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• The musicians record their songs
  Our three musicians have had two weeks to create a song using Adam Levy's lyrics as a starting point, and "The Wizard of Oz" as their inspiration. We check in as they finish up their songs.4:48 p.m.
• Ford plant workers get a reprieve
  The Ford plant in St. Paul got a two-year reprieve today. The plant was scheduled to close next year, but will keep producing the Ranger compact truck through 2011.5:20 p.m.
• Poll: McCain gains on Obama in Minn.
  The latest independent poll shows an extremely tight presidential race in Minnesota. The poll conducted by Quinnipiac University shows the race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama in a dead heat.5:50 p.m.
• Speculation grows about Pawlenty's political future
  Speculation is growing among political pundits and others that Gov. Tim Pawlenty could become Republican presidential nominee John McCain's choice for Vice President.5:55 p.m.
• Cinema of Urgency examines civil liberties
  The Walker Art Center is launching a new film series exploring human rights, government secrecy and American culture. It's called "Cinema of Urgency."6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Letters: Janis Ian, British Health Care
  Listeners wrote in on several of Thursday's stories. Listeners comment on the interview with singer-songwriter Janis Ian, and Joanne Silberner's report on health care rationing in Britain.
• With Eye On U.S. Audience, Obama Speaks In Berlin
  Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's speech in Berlin Thursday dealt with road foreign policy issues. But the address was more to convince American voters of his foreign policy credentials than to impress foreign leaders.
• Boomers Find Way To Make Social Impact, Money
  Grappling with a shaky economy, baby boomers are looking for new ways to make money. A new survey estimates that a chunk of these Americans are launching "encore careers" — positions that combine income and personal meaning with social impact.
• Retail Health Clinics: Convenience With Caveats
  Retail-based health clinics are expanding rapidly across the country. Most are located near the prescription counter inside large groceries. There are reports that two large Massachusetts health insurance companies will soon be paying for visits to these clinics.
• Girls' Math Skills Equal To Boys', Study Finds
  A new study in the journal Science shows that girls no longer lag behind boys in math. Average standardized tests scores reveals no gender differences in grades two through 11.
• Scientist: Cell Phone Use May Increase Cancer Risk
  The head of a cancer research center in Pittsburgh is urging his faculty and staff to limit their use of cell phones. Another scientist, Daniel Wartenberg, a professor at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, says it may be better to be safe than sorry.
• McCain's Foreign Policy Has Disparate Tones
  Republican John McCain's rationale for the Iraq war reflects the neoconservative justification to attack Iraq in 2002. But he has opposed past interventions such as sending U.S. Marines to Beirut in the 1980s and he calls himself a "realistic idealist."
• In Berlin, Obama Calls For Anti-Terror Cooperation
  Sen. Barack Obama delivered a speech in Berlin on Wednesday, calling for greater cooperation between Europe and the United States in fighting terrorism. The speech was billed by his campaign as a centerpiece of his trip abroad.
• Online Plea Spurs Gardeners To Aid Texas Woman
  In East Texas, a divorced mother can't pay the higher rent her landlord wants, so she's moving out. Scores of gardeners from across the state are helping her move her lush garden of shrubs, trees and beloved day lilies to her new home, one plant at a time.
• Mental Health Program Aids Katrina Survivors
  In Almost three years after Hurricane Katrina, people are moving back to St. Bernard Parish, La. Some, however, are starting to relive the storm's horrors. One group that has helped them is starting a mental health program.
• Fuel Oil Spill Halts Some Traffic On Mississippi River
  A river barge collided with an oil tanker, sending more than 400,000 gallons of fuel oil into the Mississippi River and halting some river traffic. Mark Schleifstein, of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, says the spill is costing the Port of New Orleans $100,000 per day.
• NASCAR Feels Pinch Of High Gas Prices
  Gas prices have spiked over the past year and the rise is really hammering NASCAR. Not only is attendance at stock-car races starting to decline, but the teams are being squeezed, too. And even NASCAR's sponsors are feeling the pinch.
• Texas' Bid For Ethanol Waiver Spurs Debate
  The Environmental Protection Agency wants more time to decide whether to grant Texas a waiver from the federal mandate for ethanol in gasoline. Margaret Kriz, an energy and environmental correspondent for National Journal, says the debate could be a political hot potato.
• Karadzic's Arrest Brings Mixed Feelings In Sarajevo
  Radovan Karadzic's arrest on war crimes charges was met with a burst of celebration in the streets of Sarajevo, which suffered a brutal siege at the hands of Bosnian Serb militias loyal to Karadzic during the Bosnian war. But many citizens of Sarajevo are bitter that he was able to live on the lam for 13 years.
• On Russian Disarmament, Candidates Agree
  Both John McCain and Barack Obama support nuclear disarmament of Russia. McCain, however, wants to go one step further, kicking Russia out of the G-8.

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